Rare Soul Tracks From Sharon Jones, Sonia Ross Out on RSD

March 31st, 2017

Fans and collectors of classic Georgia soul, funk and gospel recordings will have reason to rejoice this coming Record Store Day, April 22nd.

First, Daptone Records’ reissue imprint, Ever-Soul Records, is releasing a 7-inch vinyl single, limited to 2,500 copies, of the very first recordings by Augusta’s Sharon Jones. “Heaven Bound” and its B-side, “Key to the Kingdom,” are hand-clappin’, foot-stompin’ slices of uplifting late ‘70s funk recorded with E.L. Fields and the Gospel Wonders. The cover art is Sharon’s high school yearbook photo, housed in a frame with an easel back.

Meanwhile, the Chicago-based Numero Group label – which has built its reputation among music fans largely due to their Eccentric Soul reissue series of long-forgotten funk/soul material – are setting up a pop-up store at East Atlanta Village rock club 529 on Record Store Day from noon until 6 p.m. Label founders Ken Shipley and Rob Sevier will be among the DJs spinning obscure R&B, and among the items for sale will be an extremely limited edition replica 7-inch of Atlanta ‘70s soul singer Sonia Ross’ single “Every Now and Then” / “Let Me Be Free.” Only 200 copies are being pressed, and it will only be available at the pop-up store at 529 Flat Shoals Avenue in Atlanta, just off Moreland Avenue south of I-20.